Dothan, Ala. (WDNews) – Jerry Lee Faine Elementary Principal, Tina Garst, has earned statewide recognition for her commitment to early education.
Garst recently completed the NAESP Pre-K–3 Leadership Academy, becoming a certified Pre-K–3 Credentialed Leader.
She joins a select group of just 40 school leaders across Alabama who finished this year’s intensive program. The academy is a collaboration between the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE).
The program equips school leaders to foster strong foundations in early learning, focusing on family engagement, equitable learning and continuous improvement. Participants also complete a Capstone Project to apply their training directly in their schools.
“Her unwavering commitment to Dothan City Schools through valuable professional development opportunities like the NAESP Pre-K–3 Leadership Academy amplifies her skills in advancing early childhood education leadership,” Superintendent Dr. Dennis Coe said. “She brings out the best in her colleagues and wants to see every student succeed.”
Garst’s participation was made possible by funding from Governor Kay Ivey’s Strong Start, Strong Finish initiative and the federal Preschool Development Grant.
The certification underscores Faine Elementary’s focus on early childhood success and further strengthens the district’s push for quality education from Pre-K forward.
